Toronto Film Festival Unveils 2017 'Canada Pitch This!'

One of the most anticipated industry events of TIFF, Telefilm Canada PITCH THIS! is returning for its 18th consecutive year. Six teams of talented emerging filmmakers will have six minutes each to pitch their feature-film idea to a live audience of industry experts and a jury of development and production professionals. The winning team will take home $15,000 to help bring their film project to life. The challenge will take place at Glenn Gould Studio on September 10 and is open to all Press and Industry delegates.

"We are proud to partner with Telefilm Canada once again on PITCH THIS!" said Kathleen Drumm, Industry Director at TIFF. "This lively competition was created to foster and support emerging filmmakers, and has proven one of the most popular programs in the Conference schedule. We look forward to cheering on this year's contestants."

Designed to scout hidden talents, Telefilm Canada PITCH THIS! provides an opportunity to bring young filmmakers and industry experts under the same roof. The competition, which attracts Canucks from coast to coast, has helped to elevate the careers of past
participants, including film directors Molly McGlynn, whose short film 3-Way (Not calling) screened at TIFF in 2016, and Pat Mills (Don't Talk To Irene). Both filmmakers have features premiering at TIFF 2017.

The 2017 finalists are:

12 Days Jennifer Mesich, Tracey Deer
Inspired by the remarkable true story of an Indigenous woman who overcame the odds to survive 12 days in the Canadian wilderness. Attacked by a trusted friend, she suffered a broken jaw and was left to die. She persevered and lived to tell the tale.

Boring Girls Coral Aiken, Hannah Cheesman
A deadly coming-of-age story about two teenage girls, Rachel and Fern, who become rising stars in the death metal scene. After experiencing an assault, they decide to embark on a bloody quest for revenge, more gruesome than any of their lyrics.

Fall from the Sky Dan Montgomery, Deragh Campbell, Kaz Radwanski
Lucy, a 30-year-old woman with symptoms of schizophrenia, works as a teacher at a Toronto daycare centre. She begins to experience episodes at work, and struggles to navigate her employment, students, co-workers and personal relationships.

Imposter Adam Goldhammer, Evan Landry, Katie McMillan
Lamia Eaton, a teenager isolated on a remote maple farm, investigates her mother's uncharacteristic and increasingly eerie behaviour. As she begins to unearth an evil presence infecting the farm, Lamia is no longer able to trust anyone, including herself.

Nadia, Butterfly Dominique Dussault, Pascal Plante
Nadia, Butterfly reveals the backstage world of the Olympic Games through the eyes of Nadia, a 20-year-old butterfly swimmer. Doubt-ridden about her post-Olympic future after winning bronze for Team Canada at the relay, her very last professional event,
Nadia loses herself into lustful nights of excesses, punctuated by episodes of deep questioning.

We Will Not Be Defeated Andrew Nicholas McCann Smith, Dylan Reibling, Brian Robertson
This dark satire follows hipster dilettante Steve as he mounts a participatory public art installation. Intended to promote vague left-wing messages of unity, the undercooked installation is beset by a group of right-wing Internet trolls who hijack it - destroying Steve in the process.

About TIFF TIFF is a charitable cultural organization whose mission is to transform the way people see the world through film. An international leader in film culture, TIFF projects include the annual Toronto International Film Festival in September; TIFF Bell Lightbox, which features five cinemas, major exhibitions, and learning and entertainment facilities; and innovative national distribution programme Film
Circuit. The organization generates an annual economic impact of $189 million CAD. TIFF Bell Lightbox is generously supported by contributors including Founding Sponsor Bell, the Province of Ontario, the Government of Canada, the City of Toronto, the Reitman family (Ivan Reitman, Agi Mandel and Susan Michaels), The Daniels Corporation and RBC